Those Left Behind
by Reader4077
Summary: Hawkeye's father's side of the story during "The Late Great Captain Pierce."
1. Alone again

Daniel Pierce. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he was always worried about his son, Benjamin Franklin Pierce – Hawkeye. Sometimes it was at the front of his mind. While he knew that Hawkeye was stationed at a M*A*S*H, a non-combat zone, he couldn't help but worry. It was a war. Anything could happen in a war. Then there were the times that Hawkeye had to go to the front to treat wounded, or to an aid station. So Daniel Pierce couldn't help but worry about his son. Hawkeye was all he had left after his wife had died. But life went on. He had his practice to keep him busy. And the whole town of Crab Apple Cove knew about Daniel's son, serving in Korea. Crab Apple Cove was a small town and everyone was gathered behind Daniel in support, waiting for Hawkeye to come home.

It was a Saturday night, and Daniel Pierce was at the Town Hall. The whole town was gathered, come out to support their local fire department. They were all having a good time, when someone tapped Daniel on the shoulder.

"Telegram for you Daniel." They said, handing it to him. "It just came in. Marked urgent." Daniel looked down at it, and recognized the official Army seal on it. He stared at it for a moment, afraid to open it. What if something had happened to Hawkeye…? Daniel drew in a deep breath, summoning up the courage to read it. With shaking hands, he opened it, and turned it over. It read

"To Daniel Pierce:

We regret to inform you that on November 15, 1952, Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce, US12836413, was fatally wounded in the line of duty STOP The Army sends their regrets and thanks you for your son's service STOP"

Daniel sat there in his chair, unbelieving. He stared at the paper in his hand. It couldn't be. His son… Daniel seemed to sink within himself, tears starting to run down his cheeks. He buried his face in his hands.

"Daniel?" One of his friends came up to him, gently taking the paper from him. "You ok? What's wrong?" Daniel forced himself to look up.

"Hawkeye… My son…" was all he managed to get out past the huge lump in his throat. His friend looked down and read the telegram.

"My God… Daniel I'm so sorry…" Daniel just shook his head.

"I don't even know what happened…" Daniel drew in a deep breath, trying to control himself, but he just fell apart again, burying his face in his hands. By now, the whole Fire Hall knew that Daniel Pierce had lost his son. That Benjamin Franklin Hawkeye Pierce had been killed in Korea.


	2. Grieving

Before the day was over, the entire town of Crab Apple Cove knew that Hawkeye had died in Korea. Wherever you went, there seemed to be a somber mood. The whole town had loved Hawkeye. He had been a fun-loving, aspiring surgeon. But Daniel Pierce had retreated into his house and sat in the dark, a martini in his hand. On the table next to him, was a picture that had been taken right before Hawkeye had left. Beside the picture was a stack of all the letters Hawkeye had sent him. Daniel shuffled through them, smiling now and then at some of his son's exploits. He felt he knew the people of the 4077th M*A*S*H, his son's extended family. That gave him an idea. He picked up the phone and dialed. It took him _forever_ but he finally managed to reach the clerk of the 4077th M*A*S*H.

"Hello?" a sleepy voice answered him when the call finally went through. "M*A*S*H 4077."

"Is this…Radar?" Daniel glanced down at a letter to get the name right.

"No. That fink has a four day pass. This is Klinger. Who's this?"

"I'm Daniel Pierce, Hawkeye's father. I need to speak to…" Daniel consulted the letter again, "Captain BJ Hunnicutt."

"BJ? You sure?" Klinger asked, sounding confused.

"Yes. Only BJ." Hawkeye had written him that BJ Hunnicutt was his tent mate and best friend. He wanted to hear the news from him.

"Ok…" Klinger said. "Just hang on a minute, and I'll go get him." There was a long silence and Daniel waited nervously. But he had to know. Finally, a voice came back on the other end of the line.

"Hello? Mr. Pierce?" BJ Hunnicutt called.

"How? Why?" was all Daniel managed to get past the huge lump in his throat.

"Wha-" BJ began, but the line filled with static as the connection was lost. Daniel looked down at the phone in his hand, then broke down. He couldn't even find out how or why his son had died. Daniel sat there all throughout the night, not moving. But he didn't care. What was he supposed to do now? He was all alone.

X X X X

Over the next few days, Daniel rattled around the empty house, not quite sure what to do with himself. He had closed his practice down for a few days. Friends, family and neighbors all stopped by to offer their condolences and to see if there was anything they could do. There never was. They brought food, mainly casseroles, but food had lost all its appeal to Daniel. All its taste. He rattled around the house, empty, in his grief. He started giving away the things that were too painful of reminders, like the golf clubs sitting in the front closet, waiting for someone to return who now never would. He seemed to age a few year for every hour that past. He was lost and alone.


	3. Alive

A week had passed and Daniel was about ready to go out of his mind. He had reopened his practice, just to give him something to do. To keep his mind busy. So he was sitting in his office when the call came in.

"Dr. Pierce?" his young secretary poked her head in. "There's a phone call for you on line one. Long distance."

"Thanks." Daniel told her and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Dad?"Daniel froze. It couldn't be… That was Hawkeye's voice!

"Dad? You there?" That was definitely his son's voice! Bu he was dead…

"Hawkeye? Is that really you?

"Yeah, it's me. I've been trying to reach you for days!"

"They told me you were dead! They told me you'd been killed!" Daniel said, trying to grasp the fact that his son was still alive.

"I know. I'm really sorry Dad. Some clerk down the line switched my name with someone else's."

"Oh my god… Hawkeye…" Daniel started sobbing tears of joy. "I thought you were dead. I… gave away some of your things even and…" Daniel broke down, unable to go on.

"Quit crying dad! It's OK!" Hawkeye told him. "Really! I needed a new set of clubs anyways!" Finally Daniel calmed down enough to answer him.

"But what about the Army? Did they fix the paperwork?"

"No, I'm still dead as far as the Army is concerned, but they're working on it." Hawkeye told him. "Listen, Dad, can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything." Daniel immediately replied. His son was alive and that was all that mattered.

"You think you could start sending me my allowance again?" Hawkeye asked. "Just for a little while. I'll let you know how much." Daniel laughed.

"Sure." He said. "It's so good to hear your voice again Hawkeye."

"What?" Hawkeye asked. The connection had a lot of static.

"It's good to hear your voice again Hawkeye!" Daniel repeated, a bit louder this time. He heard Hawkeye say something, but he didn't quite catch it. "What?"

"It's good to hear your voice too!" Hawkeye repeated. "What else is new?"

"Ummmm…" Daniel said, not sure what to say.

"How's Orville's pitching?" Hawkeye asked.

"Great! He's being recruited!" Daniel reported. Hawkeye laughed.

"You're kidding!"

"No! Last season, he threw a no-hitter!"

"A no-hitter?" Hawkeye repeated. "And everyone always said that Orville was all thumbs." Daniel laughed.

"Yeah." He agreed.

"What else?" Hawkeye asked.

"Well, Jenny asked about you."

"She did? Well, tell her I said hello." Hawkeye laughed.

"I will." Daniel assured him, but the only answer he got was static. "Hawkeye?" he called. "You there?" Nothing. The connection had been lost. Daniel smiled at the phone in his hand. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that Hawkeye was still alive. His son was alive!

_A/N_

_So… What did you think? Please let me know! _


End file.
